Lincoln completely redesigned the mid-size MKZ sedan for the 2014 model year, and now that design gets a completely new front end with Lincoln’s all-new, one-piece signature grille that debuted on the all-new Continental. You can see from the photos of the new MKZ above that the grille fits nicely with the vehicle’s overall design and gives it a more traditional and distinguished look compared to the previous model pictured below. I like the previous design as well, as Lincoln was in the midst of upping its game from a design point of view with the dramatic front end, but the new look fits the traditional Lincoln brand well.

The 2016 MKZ features the previous front-end design

Another important evolution with the 2017 model is available under the hood. The 2017 Lincoln MKZ comes with the option of an all-new, Lincoln-exclusive 3.0-liter GTDI V6. When paired with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system, the twin-turbocharged engine produces 400 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque, which should improve the overall driving performance of the vehicle. I’ve driven the previous model extensively and this new engine option will likely make a big difference.

The new Lincoln MKZ has many advanced driving features consumers expect from modern luxury vehicles, including available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. The system activates the brakes automatically to bring the car to a complete stop if the driver fails to apply brakes in time. To assist with annoying stop-and-go driving, an auto-hold feature keeps the car at a complete stop without the driver having to press and hold the brake pedal. Other features include available Enhanced Park Assist and Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection.

With the new front-end styling and engine options that include a hybrid, the MKZ should continue to be a very valuable vehicle in the Lincoln lineup. We’re looking forward to driving it!

As 2016 rolls into 2017, new cars are rolling onto the lots of local dealerships, but which are some of the top cars of the year so far? Ranking the best current vehicles, plus the available 2017 models, this list organizes some of America’s favorite cars of 2016. If you’re in the market for a new car. (or trying to fix up a used car while considering your options), check out this list to see what’s out there.

Kia is not lounging on its haunches. The automaker took its longest running nameplate, the Sportage, and completely changed the crossover utility vehicle. It was designed in Frankfurt, Germany, refined in Southern California and it is rolling off an assembly line in South Korea.

The new Sportage is a little bit longer and the wheels are now pushed to the corners. The tiger nose grille is lowered, the headlights are longer and they’re pulled back into the fenders. There are also wrap around taillights. And in what is a becoming a brand signature, the ice cube LED fog lights on the turbo powered Sportage seemed bigger, and thus were more prominent.

It was as though the sheet metal was pulled tightly over the front of the chassis. It gives this new Sportage a distinctive face. Kia cals it “tension.” Wheels at the corners meant the 2017 Kia Sportage hads short overhangs and that makes the 17, 18 or 19-inch wheels look even bigger.

Did you get in line for your new Tesla? It seems like everyone else did with reports of lines stretching for blocks with people wanting to make sure they reserved one of the Tesla 3 vehicles expected to be available in 2017.

The Tesla Model 3 starts at $35,000, so this is quite a leap forward for a brand that’s been restricted to consumers who could afford expensive luxury vehicles. Now the hot Tesla brand will be available to the masses, so it’s no surprise this announcement generated so much buzz.

One of our favorite sports cars has been updated as Nissan unveiled the new 2017 GT-R at the New York International Auto Show today. Nissan’s supercar sports new features inside and out, with the addition of Nissan’s new “V-motion” front grille being the most notable change as the GT-R gets an update to Nissan’s latest design language. The V-motion grille has been a nice improvement to Nissan’s lineup, and it looks great on the GT-R as it has been enlarged for better engine cooling.